Casey Affleck withdraws from presenting this year's best actress Oscar

Casey Affleck will not be presenting the best actress award at this year's Oscar ceremony.It's Academy traditi...

Posted: Jan. 26, 2018 8:55 AM

Updated: Jan. 26, 2018 8:55 AM

Casey Affleck will not be presenting the best actress award at this year's Oscar ceremony.

It's Academy tradition for the previous year's best actor winner to present the best actress Oscar. Affleck won the best actor award in 2017 for his role in "Manchester By the Sea."

Affleck's representatives confirmed to CNN that he will not be attending this year's Academy Awards, which takes place on March 4. The representative did not give any details as to why Affleck would not be participating. Deadline was the first to report on the actor's withdrawal.

Harvey Weinstein, Kevin Spacey, Matt Lauer, Louis C.K., and Charlie Rose are among the men who have lost their jobs over accusations of sexual harassment and assault.

Louis C.K. has said that the allegations against him are true, but Weinstein, Spacey, Lauer, and Rose have denied some or all of the accusations, or said that they do not remember the alleged encounters.

CNN asked the Academy about the circumstances surrounding the announcement that Affleck would not be presenting. A spokesman said, "we appreciate the decision to keep the focus on the show and on the great work of this year."

The spokesman would not elaborate on how Affleck would distract from the Oscar show's focus.

Affleck was sued in 2010 for sexual harassment by two women who worked with him on the film, "I'm Still Here." Both cases were settled out of court for undisclosed amounts. In 2016 the details of those lawsuits surfaced during his awards season campaign and Affleck told the New York Times in an email at the time, "It was settled to the satisfaction of all. I was hurt and upset. I am sure all were but I am over it. It was an unfortunate situation-mostly for the innocent bystanders of the families of those involved."